Covered demijohn



(No Model.)

. W. BANKER.

COVERED DEMIJOHN.

No. 385,438. 7 Patented July 3, 1888.

H k m PATENT FFICEQ GEORGE W. BANKER, OF BROOKLYN, NE? YORK. I

COVERED DEM!JOHN.-

ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,438, dated July 3, 1888.

Application filed Jenner- '25, 1858. Serial No. 261,880. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BANKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covered Demijohns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in protected or, as sometimes called, wickered demijohns.

Experience has demonstrated that it is very desirable to be able to determine at any time whether the interior of a demij ohn ineased in a covering (for instance, wicker-work covering) is clean, and also the quantity of liquid contained therein, without necessitating the handling or removal of the demijohn from its place.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, casings for deinijohns have never been constructed which will permit of these two things, because the wicker-work covering precluded inspection of theinside. Furthermore, when such covered demijohns have been packed in an external case or box, as is now frequently done, for the purpose of safe. transportation, some suitable packing being placed between the demijohns and the sides of the case, it has been "cry difficult at times to withdraw the demijohn from the case, because the packing material, being pressed into all the inequalities of the wicker covering, gripped hold of it very firmly, and frequently the demijohn could not be removed from the case without bringing the entire packing material, or practically all of it, with it, and the force required to do this was very considerable. By my invention I not only secure perfect protection for the demijohn, but also provide means whereby its inside may be inspected, and at the same time determine the quantity ofliquid contained therein,ifdcsired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates my preferred construction, and Fig. 2 illustrates an alternative construction.

A is the demijohn, and B is the wicker-work or cane covering.

In order to insure sufficient strength and durability at the proper points, I form the upper or neck portion, B, and lower part, B for a suitable distance, of closely-laid wicker-work, as heretofore used. By thus forming the neck or upper portion of the covering I am enabled to securely format theproper points the usual handle or handles, (indicated at C.)

To materially reduce the cost of manufacturing coverings or casings for demijohns and to expedite the manufacture of the same, I have found it practicable, instead of covering the sides with a continuation of the material used, (usually wicker-work,) to extend the canes or willows thereof in straight separate vertical lines (or nearly so) circumfercntially about the sides of the demijohn, as at D, Fig. 1, and thereby cover the same sutficientl y for all practical purposes. These vertically-arranged canes or Willows, being separated by a sufficient space-say from half an inch to an inch, more or less-allow free and unobstructed view of the interior of the vessel, so that upon holding it up to the light it may be looked through practically the same as though there was no wicker covering at all, thus enabling the condition of the interior as to cleanliness to be determined, and also the amount of its contents. The vertical canes or willows D should be sufficiently close together to prevent the glass from coming in contact with any surface against which the demijohn may be placed, the pressure of such contact coming on the canes. Moreover, when a demijohn covered as above set forth is packed in a case, as before stated, it may be readily removed therefrom, because the vertical canes or willows D will readily slip, through or over any packing or cushioning material which may be used for the purposes of protecting the demijohn.

In case the handles become broken and it is necessary to move the vessel from place to place, it can be safely grasped about its neck or upper part without any danger of the easing giving way, the same being sufficiently strong and durable at that point.

Care should be taken to have the casing snugly fit the demijohn about the neck or upper portion, so that it can be safely grasped thereabout in case the handles should get broken or could not be convenientlly gotten hold of.

In Fig. 2 I show an alternative method of practicing my invention, which enables inspection of the vessel and its contents, but is not so well adapted for demijohns which are to be packed as the method just described. In that shown in Fig. 2 the central part or sides of the demijohn are covered with wieker-work,whieh is laid in such manner as to leave openings E, affording free sight through them. I prefer that these openings should be from half an inch to an inch or more in area. In this figure I show two handles.

It is obvious that if the demijohn be covered with material other than wicker-worksuch, for instance, as canvas or leatherthe beneficial result of my invention may be secured by cutting holes in such covering about the median part of the vessel.

Aside from the beneficial results above mentioned flowing from my invention, there is incidentally a great saving in time, labor, and material in plaiting or laying of the wickerwork.

I do not limit myself to the two methods of arranging the wicker-work covering shown. Other arrangements may be employed and still my invention be practiced.

Having described my invention, I elai1n 1. The combination, with a demijohn or other vessel, of a covering or casing of suitable material, the upper part of which con forms to and envelops' the neck of the same, and is made close for a suitable distance, and the body portion having openings or slots formed cireumferentially therein of sui'ficient size to permit the interior to be inspected, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a demijohn or other vessel, of a covering or casing of suitable material, having an upper part which envelops and conforms to the neck of the same and a lower portion which extends upward for a suitable distance, said upper and lower portions being made close, as described, and connected by an intermediate part having openings or spaces arranged circumferentially therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 20th day of January, A. D. 1888.

I GEO. W. BANKER.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, F. G. HERTER. 

